Secrets are better shared
by vichalmers
Summary: Robin knows that someones been watching Artemis at school and he's not sure he can handle it on his own. So he calls his best friend Wally West to help him. When their school gets attacked can Artemis keep the shadows at bay while the others are saving people and looking for her?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey guys! Thanks for clicking and taking time to read this fanfic. This is my first attempt at a Fanfiction so constructive criticism is more than welcome along with any other positive feed back you might have! Thanks dudes and dudetts and I hope to have more up soon if y'all like it!**_

_**lil-fledgling **_

Robin knew that Artemis didn't know that he Dick Grayson, school wiz kid and son of Bruce Wayne was actually Robin, protégé of Batman and one of her best friends. Sometimes it was handy. He could tease and blackmail the older student and she could never figure out who he really was and boy did it annoy the _hell_ out of her.

But sometimes it really sucked, big time. He couldn't talk to her about missions or the stresses of having a secret identity and living two lives or ask her for help when he was stumped on tracking down the baddies. (it happened more than he liked to admit. Wally had taken an oath never to tell or else _every one_ would know what happened when he tried to ask Sally Manson out to the freshman spring formal) Today was one of the days Robin wished he could throw caution to the wind and just tell her who he was and how much danger she was in, because he didn't know how much longer he could spend protecting her from the evil that lurked around her.

"Wally, I've got a problem." Dick Grayson was sitting outside leaning against the gym wall, holding an expensive looking phone to his ear, doing something he had sworn not to do. Something Batman had sworn him not to do. Get Wally West involved in Artemis's family life.

"What's up?" The crinkling of a chip bag was heard in the background followed by the insanely loud crunching of chips being eaten. Dick held the phone away from his ear and wished his best friend could go ten minutes with out eating; it made phone conversations nearly impossible.

"Its Artemis-"

"The Ice Queen?"

"Lay off Wally, this is serious. She's in trouble." The sounds of chewing abruptly stopped and Dick heard Wally shushing his friends.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" Dick rubbed his face in exasperation.

"That's the thing, I'm not sure. As of this moment? Yes, she's fine but-" For the second time in their conversation he was cut off, this time by a large explosion from the front of the school.

"Never mind, she's not safe. How soon can you-?"

"I'm on my way."

Dick hung up and rapidly changed into his uniform. The Boy Wonder was officially on the scene and soon the Fastest Boy alive would be too. Now it was time to find Artemis. A second explosion shock the left side of the building and steams of students came piling out of the school screaming. That was probably a good place to start.

"Robin!"

A frantic sophomore ran up to him, his face covered in grit and soot. "My class, m-my girl friend, their trapped! Its Icicle and he's holding them hostage in the computer lab. Please," the sophomore gripped his arm tightly. "Please you have to save them." Robin sprinted off towards the computer labs sending rapid-fire messages to the team and Batman. Artemis was a hero; she could handle her self for a little while, right? Because Robin hoped to hell she was ready to go a few rounds with Sportsmaster.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey hey girls and boys! Oh man did you guys totally make my day today! I read your reviews and my heart just swelled. Oh thank you thank you. I'm still getting used to this whole Fanfiction thing. I hope its all okay. Reviews are so appreciated. Have a great day or night where ever you are and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

**_lil-fledgling_**

Chapter two

It was an eerie feeling when you almost knew you were being watched. Artemis had spent the last few weeks looking over her shoulder and taking extra precaution to sneak around school and home. But she couldn't shake the horrible feeling of some ones eyes burrowing into the back of her skull whenever she wasn't looking. Maybe she was spending too much time with Batman. Or maybe…

When the school started to explode Artemis was in English class, trying to pay attention to the class discussion on Oliver Twist and the relationship developments that took place. It was worse than being stabbed with a blunt knife.

**KABOOM!**

One second she was in her chair and the next Artemis was a heap on the floor, coughing dust out of her throat and wondering _what the Hell had just happened_. People were screaming around her and the mad pounding of feet was outside the door. But none of the students moved in Artemis's English class. They weren't going anywhere.

"Hello baby girl." Sportsmaster, grinned down at his disheveled daughter and as he yanked her to her feet Artemis knew that she hadn't been paranoid and defiantly needed to spend more time with Batman.

"Long time no see."

"Sportsmaster." Artemis spat, kicking out of his grip and taking a fighting stance. It was a good thing she wore her cute underwear today because when the inevitable fighting came, her school issued skirt wasn't going to cover anything.

"What are you doing here?" Artemis asked venomously.

"Can't I come and see how my little girl is doing?" A sudden tension filled the room. So much for keeping a secret identity.

"Get out." Artemis said. "Get out of here and we'll go this some where else." Her eyes flickered to the terrified faces of her classmates. She couldn't put them in danger.

"Sorry Baby girl." Sportsmaster said casually. "You're coming with me."

"Like Hell I am!" Artemis lunged at her father and he easily used her momentum to flip her over and send her flying into the wall. She landed with a horrible thump but sprung up nonetheless, ignoring the pain radiating from her back.

"I've got the entire block held up by… business partners. Make one more move, even flinch the wrong way and the entire block becomes a pile of rubble." Artemis's eye's widened in horror, finally figuring out her fathers' plan.

"And if I don't go with you?" She said quietly. Sportsmaster shrugged.

"You'll watch it go up in flames." He stepped close to Artemis's ridged form and whispered in her ear. "Can you really live with the blood of over a thousand innocent people on your hands?"

Her grey eyes met with his matching ones, for a moment they locked, but Artemis looked away with a strangled sound.

"That's what I thought." The stab of a needle was felt and for a second Artemis felt the room sway, then spin and then…nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello girls and guys. How am I doing so far? I hope its alright. If its not let me know and I'll see what I can do to make it better and your reading experience more enjoyable. Have a great day or night where ever you are and feel the good vibes.**_

_**lil-fletch**_

Chapter 3

The cop cars and ambulances had beat Wally West to Gotham Academy. Hundreds of students stood in groups crying and shaking, white faced in terror, mumbling about an explosion. Some spoke loudly and out of control, babbling about Icicle and his son.

"She had a knife to my throat!" One boy kept repeating. "She had a mask and a _knife_ at my throat." _Cheshire. _

Wally pushed past a cluster of people (mostly girls, why did they love him when he was in the costume but couldn't stand him out of it?) and moved towards a couple of police officers talking to Robin.

"Sorry I kinda got held up," A.K.A: _I didn't have a hall pass and got sent to the office. _"What happened?" The police officers shifted uncomfortably and Robin looked up at his friend, a horribly pained look etched onto his masked face.

"A student was taken."

* * *

Conner and M'gann were trying to dissect a frog when the call came from the office for them to pack up their things and come to the front of the school. Someone was here to pick them up.

"I wonder who it is." M'gann said lightly, fiddling with a tube of lip-gloss. "Maybe its Uncle J'onn!" She lifted off the ground in excitement.

"He did say that he would take us to the Art Museum some day." She grinned at Superboy who only pursed his lips and scowled.

"I don't get art." Superboy said. "Its just shapes and colors. Besides, look who it is." A grim looking Wally and Robin stood by the front doors, a dark limousine waiting in the turn around.

"Wally, Robin! What are you doing here?" M'gann rushed up to greet them, only to be hit with a strong sense of anger and sadness. She reeled back, bumping into Superboy as she tried to get away from the horrible feelings pulsating from her friends.

"W-what's happened?" M'gann asked a sick feeling of dread filling her.

"Something's bad," Robin said quietly, adjusting his tinted sunglasses. "And we have a top priority mission."


	4. Chapter 4

_**You guys make me so happy when I see people are reading this and when I get reviews! I hope you all know I read every single one of them and each one is appreciated.**_

_**Hope your having a great day or night.**_

**_lil-fledgling _**

Chapter 4

The entire team had assembled, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, Robin, Kid Flash, even Zantanna had been called in, much to her father's displeasure.

"Artemis has been abducted." Batman said, cutting to the chase.

"There's no sense in sugar coating it. Her family has taken her, and it is of utmost importance that she is rescued as soon as possible." The team stayed unusually quiet as Batman pulled up a picture of an older looking Asian looking woman in a wheel chair onto the screen.

"Huntress is her mother, an ex-con. Her name is Paula Crock. After the League heard that Artemis was taken we put Paula in a safe house, but it's not likely that the Shadows will be looking for her."

"But if Huntress is her mother…" Wally trailed off, the puzzle pieces clicking. "No, no way, you're lying!" Batman looked at the young speedster evenly.

"Am I?" The six hero's looked around at each other, desperately searching for something in the other's face to tell them that it wasn't true.

"She's the mole." Superboy growled. "She was the mole and you knew all along!" He pointed a finger at Batman, anger quivering inside him, barely controlled.

"She was never the mole." Batman said, "Artemis was unique in-"

"Liar!" The cave exploded into ugly cries for the truth and unfair accusations, layered by M'gann's loud denial for it all.

"Enough!" Seven pairs of eyes turned to Robin who stood behind them all.

"She's not her family." He said quietly. "Artemis never lied to us. She just kept her secrets to her self." He looked at them carefully. "And we all have secrets." None of them could deny that.

"The League knew." Batman added. "She was doing vigilante work at night. Green Arrow and I approached her after she saved Kid Flash from Amazo." Wally looked up stunned, still trying to come to grips with everything that had happened to the harpy. His harpy.

"No way! That was Speedy- Red Arrow's arrow!" The word DENIAL flashed across his mind.

"You know that's not true." Batman said, his eyes narrowing. Wally looked at the ground, too spent to argue.

"The Watch Tower is working on tracking her location." Batman said, pulling up a map of North America with twelve red dots flashing on the screen.

"These are all the places she could be. By tomorrow morning we should have these locations narrowed down to four. You'll start doing recons on each area to see in fact whether or not Artemis is there." The screen turned off and Batman looked at them all.

"Get some rest, you start at 0700." The Team watched the zeta tubes transport him away, silence following him out.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey guys I'm so sorry its been so long, exams have been wild and there was just no time to write. I'm really sorry. Anyways this is chapter 5! I so hope you like it and if you do it would mean so much to me if you left a review! I leave in three days for a month but I'm going to try really REALLY hard to get chapter 6 up before I leave. Thanks of being wonderful you readers you!**_

_**lil-fledgling**_

Chapter 5

"You knew." The team had gathered in the living room, all eyes on Robin who was slowly explaining everything.

"Of course I knew." Robin said, his glasses flashing. "I'm a detective. When I found out I was angry, I was ready to tell all of you but Batman and Green Arrow made it clear that she was on our side. She had come from a really horrible place and needed a new start."

"But why didn't _we _know?" Wally asked desperately, running his hands through his hair for the millionth time.

"Didn't she trust us? Didn't she know this would happen? I mean honestly she can't just- oh Artemis." He chocked, falling onto the couch and cradling his head in his hand. "We have to find her." Wally whispered. A murmur of agreement followed.

"I'm confused. Why is it so bad she's with her family?" Superboy said, looking for answers. "I mean there her family. What's the worst they would do to her?"

* * *

"Get up." A sharp kick to the ribs sent Artemis into full fighting mode. She sprung up, only to be jerked back down. The son's of bitches had chained her hands and legs to the floor.

"Let me go." She spat glaring at the masked figure standing above her. "Let me go so we can fight this out fair."

"Fight?" Sportsmaster chuckled, slowly pacing around Artemis as if she was prey and he was the predator.

"I'm not going to fight you, baby girl. Oh no that wouldn't be right. We're family, remember?" Artemis hissed at the word and Sportsmaster bent down to look at her, running a finger down her check in an almost loving way. Artemis snapped at him and Sportsmaster snapped away, all tenderness gone.

"You're the best long range marksmen we had, no body compares to you, trust me we tried to train others. But none were as… deadly." A glob of spit landed on his face. With a roar he stumbled backwards spitting curses and aiming vicious kicks at her undefended body.

"There is nothing you can do to make me work for you!" Artemis screamed through a mouthful of blood and a haze of flaming pain. "Nothing! I will never help you, no matter what you do to me!"

Sportsmaster's chest heaved with anger as he moved towards the door.

"You'll regret that baby girl. You'll come around, and if you don't," He opened the door and looked at her hard and long. "you won't last very long." The door slammed leaving Artemis in a horrible darkness where she let the pain egg on her sobs.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hello readers! Chapter 6 is hear for your reading pleasure! I hope you have a wonderful month of July and when I have time and internet access in August I will be working my hardest to finish up this story for you. Please review, they make my soul so happy and give me good vibes. Be good, be great, read on!**_

_**lil-fledgling**_

Chapter 6

It was a week before the team heard anything about Artemis. Seven days. Batman had promised the next day and _seven freaking days later_ they were still waiting.

Everybody was on edge. Nothing was safe from Superboy and his fits of helpless rage, turned out that the walls weren't Superboy _extreme rage_ proofed. M'gann had become an emotional heap, barely able to get her self up in the mornings, leaving everyone else to find food for them selves, often relying on Robin to go out and get them something. Zantanna and Kaldur were rarely seen. Kaldur spending most of his time brooding and strategizing while Zantanna worked on futile tracking spells.

But it was Wally everyone was really worried about. He didn't move, _ever_. He didn't sleep, barely ate and spent all of his time sitting in front of the zeta tubes hoping for somebody to come through and tell him that she was all right. That Artemis was okay and alive and that the whole thing had just been a giant miss understanding and that she was just out visiting good, non-villainous family. It never happened.

On the eight day someone did come through the zeta tubes though. Green Arrow nearly tripped over Wally as he ran into the cave calling for the team to meet him immediately. They had_ found Artemis._

* * *

She had lost track of time. No windows and a barred door. Sometime while she was passed out someone had moved her to a smaller cell, re-chaining her hands to the walls and her feet to the ground. At best she could sit with her arms stretched above her head.

Artemis had become a horrible bloodied mass; torcher was the only way to describe what she had been going through and it was taking a drastic toll on her body.

Twice a day Sportsmaster would come in to see if Artemis had broken. He bribed her with food, not just the mouthful of water they gave her simply to keep her alive. But the only thing Artemis had left was her stubbornness and if she was going to die a beaten prisoner she decided it was a hell of a lot better than living out the rest of her days as her fathers puppet.

* * *

"There's a base up in the Rocky Mountains. She's been in Wisconsin the whole time." Green Arrow excitedly pulled up a map of the area, this time only one red dot labeled: **Artemis**.

"Your to leave now. Retrieve Artemis." Arrows tired, haggard face had lit up in a hopeful glow. "The league is dealing with a massive prison break at Arkham. We can't help you, but we can't wait any longer to rescue Artemis." He looked around at their grim and determined faces.

"Don't mess this up. It's her last chance."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Sorry for the long wait guys! I've been gone for most of the summer in the land of no computers or wifi. And when I have been home I've been catching up on Legend of Korra and TMNT. I need a life... I'm so happy to read your reviews and I appreciate them so much! Hope your all doing well and that you like this next chapter!_**

**_lil-fledgling _**

The bio ship was silent until they reached the base, everyone mentally preparing them selves for what was about to happen. Preparing them selves for the worst.

"Here's the plan," The group gathered around Aqualad as he gave out instructions and his carefully laid out plan.

"Robin needs access to the main computers so we can get the blueprint of the base. Once we have that we will have an idea of where Artemis is. Superboy, you and Miss Martian will guard Robin while he get the blueprint. Zantanna, you watch the exists, Wally and I will be covering all of you."

"Who will get Artemis?" Wally asked anxiously, desperately wanting to be the one to find her.

"If everything goes according to plan, we shall all go and find Artemis together."

Nothing ever went as planned. Robin had gotten the blueprint, no sweat and no one had any idea there were intruders on the second floor, not until Wally tripped a wire in his haste to see them.

"Take these and find Artemis." Robin said, shoving the blue prints at Miss Martian and Superboy. "Follow the red line, it should take you to Artemis." A large man tackled Robin and Miss Martian and Superboy took off down the hall, followed by the yells of their teammates.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two of them to find the basement and Artemis, even though M'gann's telepathy couldn't find her friend. As it turned out all the security went to the upper levels when the alarm went off leaving Artemis nearly unguarded.

"Artemis," M'gann cried when they came across her cell. Their friend was chained to the wall, her chest rising and falling weakly. Superboy growled as he easily broke the bars letting M'gann rush into her friend and work on the chains.

"Artemis, Artemis can you hear me?" M'gann whispered urgently breaking her left wrist free. Artemis's head lolled.

"Uggg."

"Artemis, it's me, M'gann." There was no answer as her right hand was freed, dropping uselessly to her side. "You're Earth Sister," M'gann said through tears. "We're best friends, remember?" Both feet were free and Artemis stirred ever so slightly before slumping forward into Miss Martians arms.

"Here, let me take her." Superboy rumbled, scooping the broken archer into his arms. His friend was so light he barely realized she was even there. The three of them took off at a fast pace down the hall, Superboy doing his best from keeping Artemis from bouncing around too much in his arms.

"Connor?" He heard a weak voice and looked down at the girl in his arms. "Is that- Connor?" Superboy stopped and M'gann came into Artemis's line of vision.

"M'gann?" Artemis stretched a hand out to reach for her but dropped it inches away from Miss Martians face.

"It's just an allusion," Artemis mumbled, "I'm dreaming." Her eyes fluttered.

"No! Artemis it's us!" M'gann reached for her hand. "Please look, its M'gann and Connor." She squeezed her friends hand tightly but Artemis pulled away, fear suddenly rolling in her eyes.

"Don't touch me! NO DON'T TOUCH ME!" She shoved violently at Superboy who simply re-adjusted her in his arms.

"Stop moving." He said frustrated. "We're trying to help you!" A weak punch connected with his jaw and Connor strained his muscles not to tighten around Artemis in an instinctive crushing defense.

"Lets keep moving," M'gann said shakily.

The sounds of fighting became louder as the two hero's hurried towards their companions.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

**_Well hello there beautiful people. Wow crazy times. Crazy I tell you! I'm starting to wrap up the story and hopefully it will be done soon! I feel like this chapter really sucks. If it does I'm really sorry. I'm really trying! Please review, I appreciate it so much! Hope you're all doing well!_**

**_lil-fledgling _**

_"__Aqualad! We've got Artemis, lets get out of here!" _M'gann's frantic voice rang out through the team's mind and in an instant all their years of training were forgotten as they turned to look, anxious to see their missing friend. They wished they hadn't. Not only was her appearance so startlingly different, the enemy got the upper had in the seconds they lost focus.

"Superboy behind you!" Robin yelled. With out enough time to react, a fierce blow was delivered to the back of Connor's head, making him stumble forward and drop Artemis, who hit the hard concrete with a horrible crack. Motion exploded everywhere.

The archer cracked her eyes open to see a blur of yellow moving towards her. _Wally_. He was here, he had _come_ for her. Something tiny and beautiful unfurled its self inside of her and the will to live ebbed back into her blood stream. She lifted her head ever so slightly, trying to push back the rupturing pain, and look around. Everyone was here. The whole team, even Zantanna. All of them cared, _all_ of them had come. Artemis wanted to cry with relief, with happiness. She wasn't dreaming, she knew that now.

With a monumental effort she stood, watching as the world swayed and spun.

One foot in front of the other.

Her legs felt like jelly.

One foot in front of the other.

Every molecule hurt.

One foot in front of the other.

The edges of her vision were going black.

Three more steps.

Her eyes were locked on a man throwing haphazard punches at M'gann.

Two more steps.

He was twice her size and she was stunned from an earlier attack.

One more step.

Hadn't M'gann unchained her?

With all of her energy Artemis reeled back her arm and delivered a powerful hit to the back of the man's head. He went down.

Artemis smirked and leaned into the wall, finding her legs were less apt to carry her than she thought.

"Artemis?" The archer looked up hazily at M'gann's disbelieving face.

"Did you- did you just-?" M'gann said. Artemis nodded, her voice nothing but a rasp after days of screaming and little water.

"The Bio ship is coming we-" M'gann's voice ripped away as Artemis slid across the floor and pinned down by a hired goon.

"You're not going any where." He snarled, spitting roughly in her face and digging the point of a knife under her chin. The man pulled her upwards and lifted Artemis up by the collar of her ruined school blouse so the team could clearly see her.  
"Stop," The man boomed, causing everyone in the room to freeze for the second time. "or the girl gets it." He dragged the knife roughly down the side of Artemis's face and didn't flinch as she yelled out in agonizing pain. In that second two things happened.

1) The world's angriest speedster vibrated at top speed, knocking out Artemis's captor and scooping the girl up into his arms before she hit the ground.

2) The Bioship crashed through the roof (Causing Miss Martian some major distress) and the team bolted for the hatch, with Artemis safely in tow.

"Is it over?" A weak, raspy voice asked. Wally looked down at the incredible, broken girl and shifted her closer, meeting her forehead with his.

"It's over Beautiful. You're safe." And with those words her eyes fluttered closed and Wally was left rocking her in his arms and praying they weren't too late.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey guys! Long time no see eh? I have absousoutly no good reason for why this has taken so long. Like zip, zero, none. I am really sorry though. I will never give up on a story, its one of my big pet peeves. Well there should be only one or two more chapters to go after this, so things will be wrapping up. Please leave a review and/or comment. It means a lot to me. Have a good night, or day where ever you are,**_

_**lil-fledgling**_

Chapter nine

When the team got back to the Cave Wally raced the archer to the infirmary, franticly hooking her up to life support and IV tubes, desperate to sustain her fading heartbeat. The team worked like a well-oiled machine, doing everything in their power to keep Artemis alive until the League returned from Arkham and professional help was available.

_"__Robin to League, League, come in." _Only static came out the other end.

_"__Robin to League, League come in."_ Robin said franticly into the radio.

_"__What." _A strained snap came from the other end.

_"__We have Artemis, requesting medical assistance immediately. She's not going to make it much longer."_ Robin's voice broke on those words.

_"__On our way."_

In ten minutes Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Red Tornado came sprinting into the med bay.

"Out." Black Canary snapped, rushing to take Artemis's vitals.

"But-"

"NOW!" The team reluctantly slipped into the hallway, preparing them selves for a long wait.

Half an hour later the Flash and Batman arrived at the Cave, barley acknowledging the Team's presence, only hurrying into the med bay and locking the door behind them.

Eight hours later the League members emerged, looking ashen and tired. The team jumped up from their spots and surrounded their mentors, spewing off questions and demands to know how Artemis was.

"She's in bad shape." Black Cannary said, "But she's also a fighter, I think she's going to make it." The super hero rubbed her temples, trying to subdue a headache. "Red Tornado will be spending the night with Artemis and monitoring her condition. You should be able to see her in the morning." Black Cannary followed the other hero's towards the zetta tubes. "Go get some rest," She instructed. "Tornado will alert you if anything happens."

The team moved off in a zombie like state, cleaning them selves up and going through the motions of putting on pajamas, but like an unspoken agreement they all ended but up in the living room, looking for the silent comfort of each other to help them nod off into restless sleep.

Screaming. Screaming woke them up. The ear piercing, terrified, scream of unprecedented pain and fear woke them up. And Red Tornado blaring for help over the PA system.

Wally detangled himself from the blankets in a blur and arrived at med bay seconds. What he found was Red Tornado pinning Artemis down to the bed as she screamed and thrashed.

"Stop." The robot repeated in monotone. "You're opening stiches. Stop. Stop. Stop. Sto-"

"Let her go." Wally yelled, unable to bear hearing Artemis in pain. "You're hurting her more! Let. Go!" Wally gave a mighty shove to the robot, who, surprisingly did as he was told and stepped away from the hospital bed. Cautiously Wally approached Artemis, trying to avoid flailing limbs.

"Artemis." He said softly, tentatively reaching a hand out to smooth her hair from her forehead. "Babe, you hear me?" The screaming stopped and Artemis's arms fell limply to her sides. "That's a girl," Wally said gently, stroking her hair. "You're alright beautiful, you're safe, you hear me?" Every so slightly the archer turned her head towards Wally, who bit back a horrified groan when he saw the long, ugly black stitches holding the cut on her face together. He gulped and forced him self to look away. At the other side of her face, at her greasy, blood crusted hair. Someone needed to clean that up.

Slowly, as if approaching a wild animal, Robin came up and readjusted the breathing tube in her nose. Artemis's eye's flickered briefly under her eyelids, but she didn't stir, not even when the rest of the team gathered around her, or when M'gann took her hand, or even when Robin and Zantanna fell asleep on the end of the bed.

"I thought we told them they could visit in the morning." Dinah muttered to Ollie the next morning. They had come in bright and early only to find six teenagers sprawled around and on Artemis's hospital bed. "Its like they go out of their way to disobey us." Ollie smiled weakly.

"This is her family." He whispered. "Their only worried about her." Dinah huffed and moved into the room.

"Time to get up," She said quietly, shaking them awake. "I need to run more tests." She pushed the groggy teens out of the room, ending with a fierce whisper argument with Wally.

"I can't leave her." Wally said fiercely. "What if she wakes up and freaks out again?"

"I can deal with that." Dinah retorted. Flustered Wally stood up, ready to continue arguing, his hand leaving Artemis's. Immediately she surged into a struggling combat mode, shrieking for help. Ollie came forward to sooth her, along with Wally, effectively bringing the rest of the team running to see what was going on. Dinah could see she wasn't going to get much done.

It was a week of violent spasms of brief consciousness before Artemis was able to stay awake for more than five minutes and manage to speak. Much to the disappointment of the team, Batman had ordered them to school, only allowing them an hour of visiting a day. On the weekend though they planned to spend the entire 48 hours with Artemis, turning the med bay, (to which she was still confined to) into the ultimate sleepover room. This would be the first time in a long time that they would spend together as a complete team.

Wally ended up cutting out of last class half an hour early, claiming a doctors appointment, just so he could be the first one there. And maybe spend some time alone with Artemis.

"Hey beautiful," Wally poked his head into the room. "How you doing?" Stiffly, Artemis turned her head and gave him a one sided smile.

"Wally," She rasped, her vocal chords still trying to recover. "You're early." He blushed and shrugged. "Thought you might like the company." He looked at her bashfully, happy to see the left side of her face, slowly turn up, stretching her stiches. Wally gulped and looked away, still finding the look unsettling. Artemis quickly moved her hair in front of her face, to hide the stiches and her hurt face.

Wally cleared his throat and moved farther into the room. "So, how are you feeling?" Glad for the distraction Artemis pushed her self up.

"I'll show you." Carefully the archer swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, wobbling ever so slightly before grabbing the IV pole. Rushing forward, Wally moved to help her, but Artemis waved him away, frustrated.

"I can do this." She insisted. Straightening her self up, she took, one, two, three, tiny steps forward, before sliding to the ground.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She pounded her good hand into the floor to emphasize each word. "Why can't I do this?" She said, struggling to get up. "Why?" Again Wally leaned forward to help but Artemis pushed him away. "Stay back," She snapped, willing her legs to hold her. "I don't need you're help!" Her knees buckled and this time Wally caught her, lowering both of them to the linoleum and let her cry hurt, frustrated tears into his shoulder. Desperately she clung to him, gripping his shirt like a lifeline.

"You're okay, Artemis." Wally said, rubbing her back and trying to keep him self from getting choked up too. "You're going to be alright, I promise, I promise." Slowly the tears subsided, and Artemis leaned back, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry." She muttered, moving off from his lap. "I shouldn't have-"

"It a good thing." Wally cut her off, drawing her closer. "To let it out." He said quietly, closing the space between their faces. "It's healthy." Their forehead's touched.

"It means-"

"I trust you." Artemis finished for him. And with out even thinking about it Wally kissed her.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Well guys and gals this is it! the final chapter of Secrets are better shared! I can't believe I've finished it! I hope you have all loved reading this and would adore it if you left a review! Keep an eye out for more work of mine because you can bet I'll be publishing something new soon!**_

_**Be safe and keep reading!**_

_**lil-fledgling **_

Chapter 10

Artemis Crock had kissed a total of three boys in her life.

Cameron Mahkent, which had been a terrible first kiss. All cold and icy with too much parental pressure. Honestly, neither of them liked the other too much.

A boy named Joel Grousland who cornered her in the girl's locker room during a work out after school. One minute Artemis was stepping out of the showers, feeling particularly refreshed, and the next minute she was pined against the wet tiles with a slimy tongue being shoved down her throat and clammy hands running over her bare body. He had been on her for a total of five horrifying seconds before Artemis threw him to the floor and had him cradling an arm fractured in three places. That day she accepted the Wayne Foundation scholarship and transferred out of Gotham North.

But her third kiss was nothing like the other two terrible experiences. Wally was warm and gentle, his lips moving in time with Artemis's, sensing her apprehension and never pushing her, letting her take the lead. Artemis snaked her arms around Wally's neck drawing him closer. Ever so gently cupped her face with his hands, careful of the stiches in her check. With the touch of a butterfly wing he ran the pad of his thumb over the scar. It was a part of her now. And suddenly it wasn't ugly or marring but just as incredibly beautiful as she was. Slowly her mouth opened and let his tongue slip inside. It was… incredible.

"Whoa," Artemis whispered as they drew apart from each other. "Did we just actually…?"

Wally smirked and trailed a light kiss across her forehead.

"Yeah, we just did." A laugh erupted from Artemis's lips and she threw her arms around Wally's neck.

"I thought you hated me. Since day one. I tried to hate you too. But I couldn't. I was drawn to you." She leaned away to look him in the eyes. "I used to watch you on TV. and pretend we fought crime together." A blush lit up her face. "So when I saw you that night fighting Amazo I knew my time had come. I had to save you, even if you were cocky and arrogant and an all around dork."

Wally quirked an eyebrow.

"You knew all that from just looking at me?"

Artemis shrugged and hid her face behind a curtain of hair.

"I might have been following the Team around."

This time it was Wally's turn to laugh, throwing his head back and letting a booming laugh echo around the room and Artemis joined him.

"You're incredible, you know?" He whispered against her lips. "More than incredible, I don't even have a word to describe you." Then Artemis got her fourth ever kiss and it was quite possibly better than the last one.

With a little help Artemis managed to get back into the bed, pulling down Wally with her so they could cuddle close. Soon she fell asleep to Wally's rhythmic breathing and his fingers gently combing through her long hair.

All too soon the rest of the team arrived at the cave bearing food, drinks, movies, mountains of pillows and blankets along with two large blow-up mattresses. They were set.

"You guys are doing this for me?" Artemis asked in complete disbelief, watching her friends transform the med bay.

"Of course!" M'gann said, floating over to wrap Artemis in the hundredth hug.

"You've been stuck here for so long! We figured you might like a change of pace and something new to do!" Artemis was touched and found her self at a loss for words.

"But- but what about school? And you're families?"

"They can wait," Robin said as he hooked up the surround sound. "Unless you want to sit in here by your self all weekend." He looked slyly over at the archer who blanched at the thought.

"Oh dear God no." Everyone laughed.

Once everything was set up M'gann and Zantanna intoned they had to change into proper sleepover wear and insisted Artemis do the same. With much protesting ("Guys I'm already in sweat pants!") and detangling Artemis from wires and tubes, the three girls and the IV pole managed down the hall to M'gann's room, leaving Artemis pale and out of breath. No matter what she told her self, Artemis was no where from being healed.

"What's this about?" Artemis asked as threateningly as she could muster. "We don't really need to change do we?" Zantanna snorted.

"Of course we do, girl look at you, you are not going to that sleep over looking like that." Artemis rolled her eyes and picked at her over large tee shirt.

"Zantanna, trust me when I say, its not the cloths. No one would look good after what I've gone through." Neither of the girls was prepared for such an honest response.

"So you and Wally." M'gann suddenly blurted out. Artemis smirked, so this was what it was all about.

"What about it?" Artemis said, pretending to inspect her nails. This was killing them.

"Did you guys make out or what?!" Zantanna squealed, grabbing her friend's hands. "Tell me girl! I need to know!"

The three girls ended up spending almost an hour in M'ganns room picking over every detail of Artemis and Wally's kiss in typical girl fashion. They only returned to the others when Aqualad and Super Boy came to fetch them.

Artemis woke up around 2am, her face firmly planted on a warm chest, gently rising and falling. The room was dark, the T.V. faintly glowing blue. Her team- her family, was curled up on the blowup bed, effectively one giant dog pile. Stiffly Artemis arched her neck up to look at the only person missing from the sleeping mosh pit.

Wally's check was pressed into the top of her head and his mouth was turned up in a half smile. Grinning her self, Artemis threaded her fingers with his and slowly reached up to touch her lips with his. Peeking one eye open Wally looked down at Artemis and drew her in closer, deepening the kiss.

Spitfire, at last.


End file.
